I have trouble photographing light colored things like bright white flowers. I can't get the details to show up without putting my hand behind the flower and even then it doesn't pop out like I want. Is this due to shutter speed?
Shutter Speed Question
- Thread starter Mistwalker
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Its most likely to do do with your camera using "evaluative metering". This is where when photographing the camera tries to correctly expose the whole picture. one very light area is therefore "overexposed" (burned out).
See if your camera has a "spot metering" mode (or even centre weighted average).
If not and you can adjust the speed, try increasing the speed for the same aperture or adjusting the f stop upwards for the same exposure time
Red
See if your camera has a "spot metering" mode (or even centre weighted average).
If not and you can adjust the speed, try increasing the speed for the same aperture or adjusting the f stop upwards for the same exposure time
Red
Or if your camera allows it, try setting it to under-expose by half a stop, or maybe a stop.
Play with different amounts of underexposure to see what the effects are
Play with different amounts of underexposure to see what the effects are
Also klnown as exposure compensation E+/- go to the minus side. take a few pics at different settings to help you work it out.
What type of camera is it?
May help us help you.
If you have aperture control, you can make it stand out more by using a shallow depth of field, ie. large aperture and fast speed. It will blur the background somewhat.
In image one, the flowers are out of focus and over exposed. By reducing the aperture size, but keeping the shutter speed the same, the depth of field will be increased and the problem of over exposure will be improved.
In fact, I would say that in all three images the flowers are not in focus due to problems with depth of field. If you don't have any control over the aperture size, by decreasing the shutter speed this should have the same effect as the camera will reduce the iris size to compensate for the longer exposure.
As has been said above, by 'bracketing' the exposure below the 'ideal' exposure this will improve the saturation in the whites.
If you don't have any of this control, the next best and perhaps only option left to you are to stand further away from the subject and then crop the image with software. Placing the camera further from the subject will also increase the depth of field and will ensure that more of the image is in focus.
This is the real beauty of digital photography in that you can take as many images as you like and it doesn't cost a penny.
Hope this is some help.
Martin
Edit:
Having just seen Galopede's post above, I would still say that increasing the depth of field will help to get the flowers in sharper focus but will mean that the rest of the foliage may become distracting. Keep experimenting and you will find a solution that you find satisfying.
In fact, I would say that in all three images the flowers are not in focus due to problems with depth of field. If you don't have any control over the aperture size, by decreasing the shutter speed this should have the same effect as the camera will reduce the iris size to compensate for the longer exposure.
As has been said above, by 'bracketing' the exposure below the 'ideal' exposure this will improve the saturation in the whites.
If you don't have any of this control, the next best and perhaps only option left to you are to stand further away from the subject and then crop the image with software. Placing the camera further from the subject will also increase the depth of field and will ensure that more of the image is in focus.
This is the real beauty of digital photography in that you can take as many images as you like and it doesn't cost a penny.
Hope this is some help.
Martin
Edit:
Having just seen Galopede's post above, I would still say that increasing the depth of field will help to get the flowers in sharper focus but will mean that the rest of the foliage may become distracting. Keep experimenting and you will find a solution that you find satisfying.
Thanks for the input, I'm still trying to process all of it. As for the camera it is a Canon A590IS and it does have spot metering in the menu
Mistwalker,
Not withstanding all the above advice about shooting it right first time...
As you have a Canon, take a look at CHDK (google it), shoot the pic in .dng format then use the free Lightbox app to play with corrections. It won't help the focus much but it does a good job of correcting exposure errors and allows you to play with different settings to build experience.
Not withstanding all the above advice about shooting it right first time...
As you have a Canon, take a look at CHDK (google it), shoot the pic in .dng format then use the free Lightbox app to play with corrections. It won't help the focus much but it does a good job of correcting exposure errors and allows you to play with different settings to build experience.
Just another thought on geting better shots, try using a tripod, or gorrilla pod, then put the camera on a timed shot, it just removes the hand jitter, which is inevitable with close ups.
Thanks, my wife keeps saying she's going to get me one for my birthday in July so I'm trying to wait and see. I know it will improve a lot of my photos.
Sometimes I use a flash setting (even outside in the light), this sends the background dark/black while pushing for foreground forward. It works with pastel flowers, but Iv never used it with white.
You could also try bracketing it, with the same photo with two or three settings to find the correct one.
Non of my flower photos are on this lap top, if I can find one on a disc, I'll put it in.
Heres an indoor example of my dog Sandy who passed away in March 2009
You could also try bracketing it, with the same photo with two or three settings to find the correct one.
Non of my flower photos are on this lap top, if I can find one on a disc, I'll put it in.
Heres an indoor example of my dog Sandy who passed away in March 2009
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